Obtaining bacterial cellulose and vegetable cellulose hydrophobic nanocrystals for the retention of oils

This work aimed to obtain hydrophobic nanocrystals of vegetable and bacterial cellulose by an efficient process of silanization in water. Functionalized nanocrystals can be used as filter components for the retention of oils in the treatment of contaminated effluents. Green coconut fibers were used to obtain the vegetable cellulose. Bacterial cellulose was obtained by the bacterium Komagataeibacter hansenii. The nanocrystals were isolated from their matrices by acid hydrolysis, functionalized in aqueous medium in the presence of methyltriethoxysilane and lyophilized. The presence of silicon in its structure and increase in crystallinity after acid hydrolysis confirmed the formation and functionalization of nanocrystals. The thermal stability did not change after the functionalization. Functionalized nanocrystals combined hydrophobic and oleophilic properties, indicating that both materials are an alternative for the removal of oils from water surfaces. (author)